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Christmas Countdown: Christmas Vacation (1989)

Christmas Vacation is my favourite Christmas film, and probably the movie I've seen more times than any other.

This was one of the first movies the family got to watch on our first VHS player; in the 20 - plus times that I've seen this since 1989 it still hasn't gotten stale. This movie definitely contributed to my love of film.

Everything about the film is perfect in it's myriad flaws. It's like a fractal composed of jagged little screw-ups, comedic failures and uninvited guests; it's stomach churning in its humour, but also beautiful when you step back to see the whole.

I may sound like I'm being facetious in my hyperbole, but Christmas Vacation truly is a stroke genius not only as a Christmas film, but as a film in general.

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